I was wondering about feeding during the winter - I have a hive that feels a bit light and would like to return some of the honey I took from them this last fall (while reducing the stack to only two boxes...).

I was maybe wanting to make them some sort of pollen/honey patty. I dont want to heat the raw honey up too hot and kill all the good things in it but would like to be able to feed them on the top bars or make a feeder frame with my patty held in place with hardware cloth. I have an quilt box I can invert and place on top of the hive to give them room above the top bars for some sort of feed if need be. Does anybody have a recipe for making a patty with those ingredients that would work with this application? Is this what I should be feeding the bees at this time in the winter?

Also, since it is only one hive that is light Im not concerned with spending extra money for real pollen...where is the best place to purchase real pollen?

Thanks!!

12-18-2012, 01:37 PM

squarepeg

Re: Hungry Hungry Hip....I mean bees

if you can get it to crystalize, (maybe add a little sugar to it), it might get thick enough not to run. put it on a sheet of plastic, right on top of the frames, (if you can with your warre). i had good luck doing this last spring, (running langs and used an empty medium box to make room).

the other option might be to give it a frame of honey from another hive, if it can spare it.

don't know about the pollen.

12-23-2012, 01:02 PM

Oldtimer

Re: Hungry Hungry Hip....I mean bees

Pollen is used mainly for brood raising you don't have to worry too much about it during winter, but do so if it makes you feel good.

01-09-2013, 08:05 AM

Zonker

Re: Hungry Hungry Hip....I mean bees

I'd be really careful about feeding in the winter. Opening the hive unseals everything the bees have sealed up. Also you run the risk of tricking the hive into thinking its spring. Did that to a hive on my back deck and ended up with a crowd of very grouchy bees trying to get nectar and pollen from a yellow Corona box in the trash. Fortunately spring came early and I got my back yard back.